Abel Tasman the big name in Keeneland January sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Although the calendar has just flipped over to a fresh start, the Thoroughbred breeding stock sale season is squarely in its middle. A decade on from the recession of 2008 that rocked the Thoroughbred industry, the market showed promising signs as it opened in the fall, and looks to continue its momentum with the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale, running from Monday through Thursday. The auction has traditionally been a test of middle markets, but this year has a major star in Eclipse Award champion Abel Tasman, who figures to help buoy the overall figures.

“The presence of Abel Tasman adds a great deal of excitement to this year’s January sale,” Keeneland vice president of racing and sales Bob Elliston said. “This sale traditionally gives breeders – both domestic and foreign – an opportunity to purchase quality broodmares just before the start of breeding season. It also is a notable marketplace for buyers shopping for racing prospects and horses of racing age.”

Last November’s FasigTipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale amassed record gross receipts and strong average and median figures. The bellwether Keeneland November breeding stock sale, which began a two-week run the following day, finished with declines in economic indicators, but showed signs of a buoyant middle market. The robust demand for broodmares and weanlings by major operations, representing long-term investments, indicated optimism for the health of the industry.

“We are seeing people buying in and buying more mares, but, again, it’s back to the perceived quality,” Keeneland’s director of sales Geoffrey Russell said at the sale’s conclusion. “Everyone is looking for that certain type of weanling or certain type of mare. Everyone is talking about ‘the Saturday horse.’ They’re looking for the producer of the Saturday horse. They’re cutting down their numbers, but they’re increasing their quality.”

Keeneland cataloged 1,555 horses for the four-day January sale, prior to supplemental entries. The sale is coming off a 2018 edition that finished with 909 horses sold for gross receipts of $34,996,000, led by Grade 2-winning broodmare prospect Mrs McDougal, sold for $1.6 million to bloodstock agent Steve Young. The sale’s average price of $38,499 and median of $12,000 reflected gains of 29 percent and 14 percent, respectively, from 2017. The buyback rate closed at 26 percent, compared to 31 percent in 2017.

The average price figures to be solid again for this renewal, partially thanks to 2017 Kentucky Oaks winner Abel Tasman. Abel Tasman, who was retired following an 11th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs, will go through the ring Monday, the opening day of the sale, representing the single-session Book 1 designation. She will be consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency on behalf of owners Clearsky Farm and China Horse Club. Clearsky bred Abel Tasman, with China Horse Club buying into the filly early in her 3-year-old season. Sending a high-profile horse through public auction is a common way to fairly dissolve partnerships such as these.

Abel Tasman concluded her career with a record of 16-84-0 and earnings of $2,793,385. Simon Callaghan trained her to win the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes as a juvenile. Transferred to Bob Baffert early in her 3-yearold season, she won the 2017 Kentucky Oaks, Acorn Stakes, and Coaching Club American Oaks, and also finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff to champion Forever Unbridled. She was honored with the 2017 Eclipse Award as outstanding 3-year-old filly. Last year, Abel Tasman added two additional Grade 1 triumphs in the Ogden Phipps and Personal Ensign stakes. However, she tailed off in the final two races of her career, finishing fifth in the Zenyatta Stakes and 11th in the BC Distaff.

“She just quit,” Baffert said after the latter race. “She just quit running. Sometimes they do that . . . . She just doesn’t want to run anymore, it looks like.”

Abel Tasman was subsequently retired.

“Obviously, I was disappointed in her last race, but she doesn’t owe us anything,” said Bernard Cleary of Clearsky. “She’s been a champion for us, a Grade 1 winner at 2, 3, and 4, a Kentucky Oaks winner. She really doesn’t owe us anything.”

Abel Tasman, a daughter of Quality Road, is from a productive female family, boding well for her second career as a broodmare. She is out of the Deputy Minister mare Vargas Girl, also the dam of Grade 3 winner Sky Girl and stakesplaced Moonlight Sky. Vargas Girl is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Bevo, Grade 3 winner Moonlight Sonata, and stakesplaced Carson Hall. Moonlight Sonata, in turn, is the dam of Grade 2 winners Beethoven and Wilburn, as well as stakes winner La Appassionata.

Abel Tasman is a virtual certainty to be among the leaders at Keeneland January, which traditionally includes fewer high-profile broodmare prospects than the November breeding stock sales. Over its past 10 renewals, Keeneland January has sold 10 seven-figure horses – compared to eight in a single day at Keeneland November last year – led by $2.2 million Up in 2015. The top price in the auction’s history was fetched by Mackie, who sold for $5 million in foal to Mr. Prospector at the 2000 renewal.

Notable broodmares cataloged for Keeneland January include Unacloud, dam of Grade 1 winners Meadow Breeze and Overanalyze, as well as Grade 1-placed Majesto and Grade 2-placed Mighty Monsoon. The unraced Unaccounted For mare, who is in foal to Distorted Humor, is consigned by Taylor Made, as agent. That consignment also includes Uchitel, dam of Grade 3 winner Suddenbreakingnews. Uchitel, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Composure and Grade 3 winner Ready Set, is among those offered in foal to champion and leading money winner Arrogate, who was the leading first-year covering sire by average price at Keeneland November.

Other notable broodmares or broodmare prospects in the catalog include Fatale Bere, winner of last summer’s Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks; Grade 1 winner Pool Land, dam of stakesplaced Speightsland; Canadian champion and multiple graded stakes winner Bear Now; Grade 2 winner Beau Recall; and graded stakes-placed Best Performance, runner-up in the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

Among the active stallions in the catalog is Woodford Stallions’s Biondetti, a Group 1-winning juvenile who was Florida’s leading freshman sire of 2016. Also cataloged is multiple graded stakes winner D’Funnybone, who has sired a handful of New York-bred stakes performers and most recently stood at Rockridge Stud.